


Not The Only One

by STARSdidathing



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sports, Fluff, Football | Soccer, Friends to Lovers, Loki & Tony Stark Friendship, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Minor Injuries, Mutual Pining, Pining, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-27 02:52:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15676545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/STARSdidathing/pseuds/STARSdidathing
Summary: They might be on opposite teams, but that doesn't stop Loki from running to Tony when the other player gets injured.





	Not The Only One

**Author's Note:**

> Just something short and sweet I came up with when the FIFA World Cup was on. I have no knowledge of football/soccer but a lot of people were talking about it and then I got inspired by ideas. I didn't plan to write them until the awesome StagLynxSpider made a moodboard and I just COULDN'T RESIST.
> 
> Here moodboard is [here](https://staglynxspider.tumblr.com/post/177008851268/not-the-only-one-by-starsdidathing-a-frostiron) so please go and give her some love for it! :D

Tony Stark was the bad influence and the bad boy. He was the Man of Iron of the Italian football team; nothing could knock him down or keep him from making a perfect play, and nothing could wipe the perpetual smirk of his face - or at least, nothing but three burly members of the Norwegian football team who managed to trip and tumble on top of him in the middle of a match. Tony was a short man with a compact build and the Norwegian team who landed on him were far larger and heftier.

The crowd gasped, the play stopped and to everyone's surprise, along with his team mates a blur of Norwegian green was instantly at Tony’s side - but then, maybe it wasn't so surprising. If Tony was the bad boy of Italian football, than Loki Laufeyson was chaos incarnate of the Norwegian side. His words dripped acid and his arrogance was renowned; he was an asshole of the highest degree, and he was impossible to predict on the field; his accuracy however, was legendary.

And, against all possible odds, Loki was best friends with Tony.

Loki skidded slightly on the grass as he dropped to his knees by Tony's shoulder. He helped to shove his teammates off Tony while the medics ran onto the field. Tony was conscious but wincing with pain and Loki's hands hovered over him fearfully. "Tony-"

"I'm - _fuck_ ," he grimaced as his leg was jarred, "okay."

Loki gave a rough smile. "Liar."

Tony's eyes flicked to Loki's and he gave a faint grin, but a moment later, Loki was the one pushed away as the medic's checked Tony over and Loki was left to hover nearby anxiously. When the medics declared Tony was unfit for play and had to lever him out on a _stretcher_ , Loki was itching to follow. He even tried to do it, but one of his team mates held him back. Tony saw his frustration and lightly lifted his hand, his fingers faintly grazing Loki’s wrist. Tony didn't say anything but he didn’t need to, his face said enough; Loki knew Tony was giving his encouragement to keep playing.

The problem was that Loki didn't want to; he didn’t give a fuck about the match anymore. He wanted to be at his friend's side - he wanted to be with the man who, unknowingly to anyone, held Loki's fickle and rarely given away heart.

Loki had been friends with Tony for almost three years and while Tony was one of the few people outside his family who knew Loki was gay, the other man had never worked out Loki's feelings. _Loki_ had only worked them out within the last year and he was still trying to decide what to do about them. Tony was openly pansexual to anyone who asked, but was mostly marketed as being a ladies' man and playboy. Tony went along with it because it was good for his reputation - only having a few quiet flings with men on the side whenever he was interested. 

When Loki realised what he felt, he hadn't known whether to say something and had still been heavily debating it - but then Tony got injured. While they’d versed each other numerous times; light-hearted teasing and competiveness present both before and after their matches - this was the first time Loki felt preoccupied and distracted _during_ a match. He normally couldn’t think about anything but the game, and winning, but now it was only Tony on his mind.

They ended up on a draw and Loki didn't even _care_. He just wanted to get off the field and get to Tony's side. 

It took him the better part of an hour and a half to manage it, but he did finally arrive at the hotel where Tony was staying after being discharged from the hospital. 

Tony had a badly sprained ankle and cracked ribs, but he was smiling from the bed as he shooed everyone out of his room so that he and Loki could be alone. Loki all but collapsed down beside Tony a hand coming to rest on his friend's arm. Loki had quickly showered and changed but little more, too desperate to see his friend; Tony was grinning at him, pain still catching at his eyes but painkillers helping to minimize his discomfort. 

"I heard it was a draw. Too bad I wasn't still playing," Tony's grin widened. "I would'a kicked your ass." Loki let out a laugh that was more shaky than humorous as he clutched at Tony. He saw his friend frown and lightly shift his arm so his fingers could brush Loki's forearm in comfort. "Hey, I'm okay-"

Loki just shook his head, making Tony stop. He stared down at his friend and moving to clutch his hand. "Tony..." he looked into concerned brown eyes and felt his heart pound; his emotions felt as if they were written all over his face, "Tony, I..."

Tony's mouth slowly tipped up in a smile and his fingers shifted to link with Loki's. It made the taller man look down at tanned fingers against his own. 

"Come here," Tony whispered, making Loki look back up at him with confusion. Tony rolled his eyes but his expression remained soft. "Kiss me, Loki. You're not the only one who's been feeling this and wanting to."

Loki moved without thinking and bent down to brush his mouth over Tony's. It was only a soft touch but it sent warmth throughout Loki's body as he closed his eyes and enjoyed every moment of the gentle, slow caress. When they pulled back, they were both smiling and Loki lent back in just enough to rest their foreheads together. 

"Management's going to murder us," Tony remarked with a faint grin, "but fuck 'em," he tightened his grip on Loki's hand, "stay the night? Keep me company?"

"Always," Loki promised, brushing a faint kiss over Tony's lips before carefully arranging himself to lie beside the other man without disrupting his injuries. When he was done, their hands were still linked and his head was lightly brushing Tony's. Loki pulled in a small breath before asking carefully, "What will this mean for us?"

"It's gonna mean we're the cutest couple in football history," Tony told him, making Loki huff out a surprised laugh, but it couldn't hide the wave of relief that passed through him at one word; _couple_.

But...

"It's not as simple as that, Tony."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Tony murmured, closing his eyes. "We'll figure something out.”

Nodding softly, Loki didn't press for more; he just shifted slightly to brush his lips over the top of Tony's head in a gentle kiss. He heard Tony sigh happily and it made him smile.

Things certainly wouldn’t be easy, but Loki didn’t care. Tony was okay, he was holding Loki’s hand and he felt the same way; for now, that was all that Loki needed.

**Author's Note:**

> And there it is! My first (and probably only) sports AU, heh. 
> 
> Also, I believe that they hide their relationship throughout the rest of the competition and when Tony gets home, Loki is quick to show up and "help" him. Something no one blinks at since they're BFF's but it's really a chance for them to sit close, kiss softly, watch movies, eat meals and _date_ without doing it in public. Tony then comes back to Norway with Loki where they do the same thing, only a bit more openly but still in a way no one is going to _notice_.
> 
> But, well, eventually it's going to come out, isn't it? I'm just not sure how it will go, mostly because again, the football/soccer world is not my area of expertise, heh.
> 
> **And if you missed it above, check out StagLynxSpider's moodboard for this fic [here](https://staglynxspider.tumblr.com/post/177008851268/not-the-only-one-by-starsdidathing-a-frostiron) :D**


End file.
